Mudbox 2009 QuickStart Videos - Wayne’s One Step Layered PSD Trick

OK, I now a lot of you have been after a quick and simple way to merge all your textures into a psd.  So Dave Cardwell and myself sat on Skype tonight and while testing things out...I managed to come up with the following workflows for merging all textures in a folder into one document.  There is a workflow using Photoshop CS2 or CS4 straight out of the box.  It is also possible with CS3 but alas I didn’t own it to video the workflow.  You can then use all your textures layers in anyway that you wish in photoshop and as a layered document.

So you are being listened to and all comments taken on board by the Mudbox crew.
Enjoy

Wayne…

http://www.MudboxHub.com Independant Mudbox User Forum

http://www.DashDotSlash.net - personal site

Thanks, Wayne. So, I have watched this and the “Mud to Photoshop and back again” tutorial, but still have a question.

Is there a way to bring multiple layer back and forth between Mudbox and Photoshop? Seems like I can create different maps in Mudbox (diffuse, specular, reflection, etc. all single layer) and then open them in Photoshop as a layered PSD. But what if I have a layered diffuse texture PSD in Photoshop and I want to bring it into Mudbox to add some detail? Should the only way be saving the layered PSD as a PNG/exr/tiff and editing the PNG in Mudbox? (trying to find the most undestructive way to bring textures between Mud and PS while Mudx can’t import layred PSd)

We also want to improve the round trip as well. Photoshop will always be a great choice for image editing. Would you care to share what tool you are using in Photoshop as well. If there is a setting you are using for that tool please let us know as well.  We would like the remove the NEED to be tabbing back and fourth all the time.

So could you tell us for example:
-I need to tab back and fourth because I always want `X` brush to do `ABC`…
-I want to paint `X` in 2d because…

Thanks for any extra details you can provide

**You can use any .abr Photoshop brush set inside of Mudbox

skycastleMud 23 October 2008 11:15 PM

We also want to improve the round trip as well. Photoshop will always be a great choice for image editing. Would you care to share what tool you are using in Photoshop as well. If there is a setting you are using for that tool please let us know as well.  We would like the remove the NEED to be tabbing back and fourth all the time.

So could you tell us for example:
-I need to tab back and fourth because I always want `X` brush to do `ABC`…
-I want to paint `X` in 2d because…

Thanks for any extra details you can provide

**You can use any .abr Photoshop brush set inside of Mudbox

As for texturing process, I mostly use brush, clone brush, masking layer quite often, and sometimes dodge/burn. Before knowing Mudbox 2009 painting feature, I used to use Bodypaint for 3D painting due to its, by far as I know, best integration with Photoshop. User can import *.abr brushes, layered PSD(including mask), and blend layers with different mode as well as applying filters.
The current workflow I can think of is:
1. save the PSD as exr.
2. bring it into Mudbox and add details.
3. Export the exr back into Photoshop and add it onto the original layered PSD as a new layer.
4. back to 1

I would like to know if the texturing workflow of current version Mudbox+Photoshop is more efficient than Photoshop+Bodypaint. Really love the HDRI preview in Mudbox and in my POV, supports of PSD (including mask), blending modes, and filters are the top 3 wanted features in terms of texturing workflow.